Queen's Award for voluntary service to deaf charity

The Ear Foundation in Nottingham is to be presented with The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the country’s highest award for outstanding work in the volunteer sector.

Sue Archbold Chief Executive

PRLog - July 2, 2012 - DIDCOT, U.K. -- The prestigious award will be presented to Sue Archbold, Chief Executive of The Ear Foundation by Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir Andrew Buchanan.

The ceremony will take place at the charity’s premises in Lenton, Nottingham, on Thursday 12th July at 5.00pm. This will be one of Sir Andrew’s last duties before he retires in on 21 July.

The Ear Foundation is unique in that it provides lifelong support to deaf children, teenagers and adults using the latest, exciting and groundbreaking technology allowing them every opportunity to realise their full potential.

Over the past two decades, The Ear Foundation has developed and lead an extensive programme comprising family support and information groups, research projects, educational services, web, DVD and paper resources for the families and professionals they work with.

But, as Chief Executive Sue Archbold explains, none of this would be possible without a corresponding increase in volunteer involvement: “The development of our volunteer network has been a major goal and the appointment of a dedicated Family and User Services Co-ordinator in 2011, has enabled us to develop our volunteer base and their involvement.

“We now have over 90 volunteers working with us on a regular basis in Nottingham and throughout the UK, supporting hearing technology users, their families and our educational programme, community fundraising and lobbying initiatives.”

The Ear Foundation’s links and input into local groups has strengthened considerably over the past year; working with Nottingham University Hospitals and with the University of Nottingham on shared web based educational programmes.

Sue Archbold concludes: “The input of volunteers has been vital to our rapidly expanding work and ensures that peer to peer support is readily available.

We are particularly honoured to be receiving the award from Sir Andrew Buchanan, who has been an avid support of The Ear Foundation over the years and has watched us grow into a national and international leader.”

Amongst local dignitaries attending the ceremony will be The Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Leon Unczur and the Mayor of Rushcliffe, Councillor Irving Khan.

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NOTES TO EDITORS:

• The Ear Foundation was founded in 1989 by surgeon Gerry O’Donoghue, audiological scientist Barry McCormick and teacher of the deaf Sue Archbold to fund and provide cochlear implants and demonstrate their benefit in children, recognising the devastating effects that deafness in childhood and adulthood has on language and communication developments.• The first child, Michael Batt, was implanted in March 1989, with his operation funded by Mrs Marjorie Sherman, who had read about the urgent need and who, throughout her lifetime, continued to support the work of The Ear Foundation - support which continues by her family to this day.

• From this early and controversial beginning, cochlear implants for deaf children and adults are now routine provision bringing benefits un-thought of 21 years ago.

• The Ear Foundation provides a bridge between the clinical services where the modern hearing technologies are fitted and home, school and work where they are used. It provides family support and information, a continuing education programme, and carries out peer-reviewed research.